Has anyone else's 7th grader come home reporting that their health teacher informed them she believes there is a cure for cancer and the government is keeping it from us? It was also asserted that there could be a cure for AIDS if researchers really tried. The reason given was that it was about "money," and that is was "sad."

There was some class discussion on the topic, so I don't believe it was just a passing comment that was misinterpreted.

GEMom2,

Per the District Handbook about complaints ( see link here), I'd encourage you to take it up with the teacher, then the principal, etc., up the chain of command, until you're satisfied. Please feel free to email me at any time in the process (via the District website or at bob_solak at yahoo), but BOE Members are the tail end of the list, so issues don't often progress that far.

I'm glad I voted for you - how proactive.

I don't know who else may be in this class and am only curious if what I heard is consistent with what other parents have. I will go ahead and contact Dr. Dransoff, as I know him, but not the teacher. I have some concerns about my child suffering for my complaint. None of the children really challenged her assertions that she had seen a lot of research on this subject. One student even ventured a guess that perhaps it was for population control.

My son never mentioned anything like that and he had Health 1st session of exploratory....I'll ask him about it. But I would talk to Dr. D. When I've spoken with a teacher or administrator in D41 with concerns/complaints, I can honestly say my kids have never seemed to suffer so I wouldn't worry about that. They are generally pretty professional. Good Luck - that's an interesting story!

I just asked my 7th grader, who just started Health this week, and she confirmed all that was originally written, GEMom2. Your 7th grader relayed it just the way mine did.

I spent about 45 minutes talking with this teacher at parent conferences last month. There have been a few irresponsible comments made to different classes.
I had lots of questions for her about tanning. According to this class, it is safer to be burned repeatedly than to be tan, because tanning effects deeper layers of your skin. Just what I want to fight about as I'm chasing the kids around with sunscreen.

My favorite part of this health class is the "Wait 4 Your Mate" and "Keep Your Pants Up" discussions. I wonder how many 7th grade boys go home and tell their parents about what they talk about during that week.

Here are two questions from their website that would be great conversation starters during dinner time.

[/I]Q: Q: How far is too far?
A: We recommend that you draw the line at kissing and don't even take that too far. The reason why we set this boundary is because anything past a regular kiss ("Making Out" as some would call it) leads to other things. It's like getting on a water slide, going half way down and then deciding to walk back up the other way…Not going to happen! A water slide is made for a person to keep going once they get on it just like sexual activity is made to come before sex. So if you don't plan on having sex, don't jump on the slide.

Q: Are you abstinent if you masturbate?
A: You can not contract an STD from masturbating; however, the reality of it is that very often masturbation is closely connected with the use of pornography, and therefore, for the same reasons as above, it is not emotionally or mentally healthy or safe.[/I]

When I asked about the information on the website, she said she was unaware that any of this was there.

Wow!

I took numerous Health Ed courses to earn my endorsement and nothing I have read that this teacher supposedly said are in line with anything I've learned or read in the research. I would add that research shows that abstenance only programs are not as successful....looks like another problem brewing!

A waterslide - seriously! That won't appeal to seventh graders. And pornography use comes from masturbation, too! Whatever happened to the good old "if you do it you'll go blind?" I bet it worked as well as this strategy.

Amy, will you go talk to this teacher for me? I'm pretty sure she'll be able to see on my face how I feel about her "personal views" being shared with my kid and it likely won't go well. It will save you some time next year.

I've heard that theory for years. I lost a brother to the big C in the mid '80's and I have done a little research into the business end of the disease and some fundraising here and there for the cause (ask those chumps Fish and Fan). I am not a conspiracy theorist, I do not believe the government "keeps" things from us with regard to cures, nor am I a nutjob...but I have occasionally given that theory some thought. Don't get me wrong. After doing so I quickly put those thoughts away and filed them under "rubbish", but I can understand how some might think that way. Personally, I don't buy into it and it would behoove this individual to keep their thoughts to themselves about it. Unless, of course, you feel a teacher's job is to present more than one side of a story. To make children think. Then...who knows. Fine line and all.

Isn't health ed. just a short term class each year?(exploratory) I encourage you to talk to the teacher first, but if you don't feel comfortable then go directly to the principal. Is this person either new or newly married because I don't recognize the name. When a teacher is giving information like this you have a right as a parent to question. You need to know if she is giving qualified research or her opinion. I realize that kids love to tell stories, so I always question the teacher about the validity of my child’s story. (Yes even my darling could tell wild tales, so I want to save my a$$ and leave some room open here to move graceful out of this!) My favorite question to a teacher when my kids’ were in school started: "My child told me this story about what he/she was told in class (insert information here). I know that you as an adult and a teacher would not make this statement. Can you give me some as to why my child thinks he heard this?” It worked wonders and my problem was solved. If I got nowhere I would have gone straight to the principal. Document all conversation with date, time, and info gained.

If it were presented as an assignment where they were to investigate or research some of the referred to, but not specified research, that's one thing. That was not the case. It was presented as fact - at least my student felt that way. Some of these students have had relatives die from cancer and for her to to tell these kids that THEY are keeping a cure from the general public is irresponsible.

quote:

Originally posted by GEmom2:
If it were presented as an assignment where they were to investigate or research some of the referred to, but not specified research, that's one thing. That was not the case. It was presented as fact - at least my student felt that way. Some of these students have had relatives die from cancer and for her to to tell these kids that THEY are keeping a cure from the general public is irresponsible.

See my above post it may help!

quote:

but not the teacher. I have some concerns about my child suffering for my complaint.

got that problem going on now.
a very difficult school to work with

To be fair, a student asked the question by saying that his/her mother said there's a cure for cancer that's being kept from the public and was asking the teacher for clarification. Unfortunately, I don't think the way the teacher responded could be termed clarification. The teacher said that money is usually considered first and foremost, not an untruth, in and of itself, but further implied that the student and the student's mother were right about the existence of a cure.

Clarification in District 41 is: teacher, principal, superintendent, board. 'nuf said!

Thanks all for the input. It appears that there is at a minimum a communication problem here, as a few of us have concerns about how information is presented by this teacher.

I am not so much concerned about my child, who will ask me for clarification on lessons, but the one quietly accepting what they hear in class.

quote:

Originally posted by GEmom2:
I am not so much concerned about my child, who will ask me for clarification on lessons, but the one quietly accepting what they hear in class.

I appreciate that and think Scotty has provided solid advice. I would most certainly talk to the teacher. Things taken out of context can sound much different than the way they were actually presented. FWIW, the Health teacher is new either this year or last and my 6th grader very much liked her. If the teacher stated that it's possible the government could have a cure and be hiding it, I suppose that statement is not as inflamatory or odd as it might be sounding right now through the interpretation of 7th grade ears. If it was misunderstood, your conversation with the teacher will help her know that something in that discussion may have gone astray....I've certainly had a few parent contacts over the years when something that was said in class (perhaps not even by me) was relayed home - a-la "telephone"; meaning the actual facts were a little scrambled.

Anyway, I'm sure you'll do a great job talking with the teacher.

one word...melanoma. stay out of the sun, period. what is she thinking?